I Stand Alone
by Auryn Rei Evroren
Summary: A Quest for Camelot fanfic. What happened to Garrett before he left Camelot? What impact does his return have? Most importantly, how do Garrett's past, present, and future intertwine?
1. Get Out of Here

**A Few Notes Regarding This Tale:** _I have had a few questions, comments, and concerns about my structuring of this story, and why it skips around. I have decided to clear up a few things before we begin. Firstly, the story is told from the perspective of an omniscient narrator, so not everything is described as a blind person would see it. Many things are, but not everything. Secondly, the seven-year gap between chapters three and four and the gap between chapters four and five are purposely left up to imagination. Sure, we all know what happens in the movie, so I'm not covering it. As of yet, I'm not planning to fill in the three-four gap, so use your imaginations.  
This story is a combination of a prequel, perspective-change retell, and sequel, so expect aspects of each. _

_Enjoy!  
_

**I Stand Alone**

_**Chapter One: Get Out of Here.**_

"Garrett! Hey, Garrett!" A small, orange-pigtailed girl dashed across the central courtyard of Camelot. She dodged vendors, wagons, and pedestrians with ease, and, though she never did collide with anything, earned a few irritated comments, which she paid no attention to. Today, Lora had more important things on her mind than annoyed merchants. She raced for the knights' stables, where Garrett worked, calling out his name in her loud, clear voice.

The sandy-haired gangling lad raised his head and his pitchfork at the same time. One hand went to his forehead, shading his eyes, so that he could see his best friend running toward him. Most of the city boys laughed at Garrett for being friends with Lora, who, at age eleven, was a year younger than he, but Garrett didn't see any reason why it should matter. Lora was more fun to play with than the entire city's population of boys any day. Even now she was more interesting than they were, wearing boys' breeches and shirt, her hair in messy pigtails instead of the pretty braids worn by most girls. Garrett smiled. Lora was always going to be different, no matter how she did it.

"What's all the fuss about, Lora?" Garrett asked, bracing himself for some story about an adopted stray, some little child they must rescue from bullies, or some strange adventure on which Lora was sure they must embark. This was, of course, her usual set of litanies. Today, however, her tale differed slightly.

"Gerome's mother just sold _six kegs_ of her best mulled mead to Sir Lucan, of the round table. Rumor is he's having a celebration with the other knights, rewarding themselves for rescuing that village two nights ago. What say you to that?" Garrett's eyes widened. Gerome's mother, Mistress Clare, ran a local inn, not the best known for the repute of its clientele. If anyone had strong brews, it was her. On top of that, Sir Lucan was well-known for his drinking problem. And the amount- what group of knights ever needed _six kegs_ of mead? Two would usually be enough for any group, unless they planned to drink themselves to death.

"What are they going to do with all that? And didn't Mistress Clare even _think_ about what she gave them?" Garrett asked, voice cracking slightly in surprise. Lora simply shrugged, and flopped down onto the half-formed pile of straw that Garrett was creating. He gave her a sarcastic smile, then dumped a whole forkful of hay on top of her. Though she emerged from the pile laughing, Garrett was surprised to see that Lora's usually cheerful face was suddenly serious, and her sky blue eyes had darkened to a stormy hue. He paused from his work, taken aback by her strange expression.

"I don't think you should work tonight, Garrett."

The sandy-haired boy gaped at his freckled friend, who stared back with a unique, driving force. His tongue stumbled on the words. "L-Lora, I can't. I have to work tonight and tomorrow if I'm to have Midsummer off. We're going to Port Anwes, right?" A sigh escaped Lora's lips. She loved the Port. "Garrett, some things are more important than that. I don't want you to be out tonight, with those drunks blundering about. Please?"

"_No,"_ Garrett replied sharply. "I can take care of myself, Lora." His tone was low and insistent. Garrett had never been one to take anyone's commentary on subjects like that. "You sound like my mother." That comment stung. Garrett went home only when he had to, for his parents were not very appreciative of his dream to become a knight. His father scorned him because he chose not to train to continue the family tradition of carpentry, and his mother, who stood by his father always, treated Garrett like the scum of the earth. To be compared with her, or any of Garrett's family, was almost as low an insult as you could get.

_Well, why shouldn't I say that?_ Garrett thought angrily. _She as much as told me that she doesn't think I can handle myself with a few drunks in town- as if people don't get drunk any day of the week. She knows I have to earn my keep, and she told me to _not work _just because of a small possibility of problems. _

Lora watched him, small, angry tears growing at the corners of her eyes. Garrett could see that he had hurt her, but for now, he didn't care.

"Get out of here, Lora. Go home."

Without a word, the little girl turned on her heel and ran, her bright orange pigtails flying behind her like banners.

-

"You, boy! Get up!"

Garrett had barely opened his eyes when he felt the stinging heat against his face. He was up out of his haystack like a shot, looking frantically around the stable. Bright red and orange flames licked up the entire eastern wall, and smoke filled the air. Garrett ducked to avoid the smoke, raising one arm above his head to catch the wooden staff that the head stableman threw him. It was sheathed in metal at both ends, and generally was used to prod horses along in their exercises. From the look on the master's face, though, Garrett figured he was to use it as a club to help break apart the doors of the east-wall mounts.

He raced over to the far northeast corner stall, where one of his favorite horses was lodged. The mare's stall door latch had been fused, locking her in place as the flames creeped toward her. Garrett attacked the door with his staff, breaking apart the wood in a few crucial places. _One more blow._ With a sickening _crunch_, the stall door was broken almost cleanly in two, as the bay mare it housed leaped for the free exit. Garrett was unfortunate enough to be in her way. The horse's warm bulk smashed into his left side, sending him flying backward. He caught himself just inside the main doors, which were flung wide open.

_"Garrett, move!"_ The cry reached his ears a fraction of a second too late. Four liberated mounts came thundering toward the boy, who had never felt more unprepared. Garrett didn't even have time to think before he reacted. He threw his staff to one side and tried to lunge after it, but-

A hard force slammed into him on either side. Garrett stumbled again, and managed to look up just in time to see the pair of thrashing hooves headed directly toward his face. He lifted an arm to shield himself, but was not able to stop the rearing mount's downward plunge. Garrett spun, and fell to the ground, clutching at his eyes, which burned like hellfire- very much like the blaze that surrounded him.

Colors and shapes whirled in Garrett's sight. Shapes became less sharp, colors began to bleed together. His head hurt worse than any headache Garrett had ever endured. Garrett closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again….the colors faded, shapes disappeared, and his sight went entirely black. The small stableboy did not even keep himself from unconsciousness after that, and allowed himself to slip into the darkness completely, where he could rest undisturbed. For a time.


	2. You Need To Be More Careful

**I Stand Alone**

_**Chapter Two: You Need To Be More Careful. **_

"Garrett?"

That voice made Garrett turn around, and angry expression settling on his face…all but in his sightless eyes. Silence ensued for a brief moment, before…

"Get out of here, Lora."

"No, Garrett. I want to talk to you."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes there is, and you know it. Will you just listen to me?"

Lora cringed at the irritated snarl, but steeled herself. She knew that if she stayed for any longer than three seconds, Garrett would have no choice but to talk to her. The knights' stable master had not yet found anything new for him to do, so Garrett spent his days learning how to function without his eyesight. Lora knew how much it annoyed him to do so, thus, he would listen to her if she persisted. Which she did.

"I found out how that fire started."

_That_ certainly got Garrett's attention. His head snapped around, and he listened intently.

"Turns out I was right about those idiot drunkards you fantasize about so much."

His eagerness turned to anger. Garrett started forward, raising a hand as if to slap her. Lora caught his arm easily, as he was unprepared, and did not know exactly where to aim. He was doing well for a newly blind child, but he did not have the proficiency he required quite yet.

"Listen. I'm not trying to hurt you, Garret, I'm trying to make you understand!"

Garrett wrenched away from her, putting his hand to his head.

"I understand everything I need to, Lora. Go away."

"_No!"_

Her response startled him.

"I'm not going anywhere until you listen to me."

Pause. Garrett turned this thought over and over in his mind. Lora was a spunky little girl with many a wild adventure, true, but she had never led him astray purposefully. In a situation like this, especially, he knew that she would never, _ever_ say anything to hurt him. Right?

"Fine. Go ahead." His tone was still rough and full of bitterness, but at least he had consented. Lora took Garrett's arm, and drew him away from the main road, into the shadow of Camelot's high wall, where they would not be in anyone's way, nor overheard.

"It was the secret tunnel, the one you showed me under the stable. They were completely drunk, and they were stupid enough to try and leave that way. With torches. Need I say more?"

Garrett shook his head, turning away to 'gaze' into the distance. The wind that hit his face bore a new realization, and he knew that it was time to apologize to his best little friend.

_But I can't,_ he thought sadly. _I wouldn't know what to say, or anything at all…I can't say anything. I just can't._

Garrett sighed. "Thanks for telling me, Lora." Then, striding more confidently than was really advisable, Garrett turned away and went back to the stables, where he felt comfortable, leaving Lora in the shadows alone.

-

"So you're the famous blind boy. How about fetching my riding gloves, blind boy? Oh that's right…you _can't._ Well then what good _are_ you?" Garrett was slammed against the stable wall, the wind knocked from his lungs. He slumped to the ground, limply raising an arm to shield his face. With a cry, he was dragged to his feet, and hurled to the side, (luckily) into a large pile of hay. Frightened, Garrett turned over and scrambled, trying to get up. He had just felt the large, strong hand grasp the back of his shirt, when-

"_Lucen!_ That is _enough._" Garrett lifted his head and turned toward the new voice. It was not the deep rumble of some men, though it held the same commanding tone. The sound came from slightly above, which meant that the speaker was mounted. Whether on wagon or steed, Garrett had no way to know yet. He suspected it was a wagon, because he did not hear the breathing and fidgeting of a horse. Who _was_ this man, and why was he interfering in the affairs of knights? Unless, of course, he _was_ a knight?

"This is not your affair, Lionel. Why don't you get going to see that pretty little girl of yours?" Sir Lucen's tone was dangerous, but the new man- Lionel, he had called him –did not heed it at all. Garrett distinctly heard the sounds as he got down off the wagon- yes, he was sure it was a wagon –and strode towards the group of knights that had been bullying the blind stable boy. He shrunk backwards into the hay pile, eager not to be seen in any more shame than he already was. If he just stayed put, perhaps the knights would ignore him, and the newcomer wouldn't-

"You. Garrett, isn't it? Come here." Garrett shuddered, dreading to leave his secluded burrow in the hay, but he did as he was told. He stood up, and carefully moved closer to the voices. He jumped when a broad, gentle hand rested on his shoulder. Worse even than that, this man knew his_name._ Whatever was to come could not be good.

"You need to be more careful. There are too many people with no more judgement than a dog running around, and you're at a terrible disadvantage. It will take work, but I advise that you learn to protect yourself from people who will take advantage, like Sir Lucen here." The bully knight protested. "Now, look here Sir Lionel-"

"Did I say anything that is incorrect, _Sir Lucen?_" He spat the name out with disgust, and muttered under his breath, _"How you became a knight of the round table, I'll never know."_ He brought his voice back to proper volume once again, as Garrett continued to shiver in his grip. "I'm going to give you a chance, Lucen. I intend to teach this youngster how to hold his own against bullies like you. I would suggest," his tone became absolutely icy, "-that you take your leave now, before he learns how. If I hear of anything like this in the future, you will have _me_ to answer to, and you can be sure I'll have the support of the king." Garrett twitched, hearing the challenge in Sir Lionel's voice. Apparently, he wasn't the only one to react to that tone, for Sir Lucen did indeed take his leave, muttering curses upon the both of them under his breath.

As soon as they had gone, Sir Lionel turned the small sandy-haired boy to face him. "Young Garrett….we heard of your misfortune at the round table. The king was most displeased to find that his knights had been so careless as to allow a tragedy such as that fire to take place." Garrett almost took a step away, surprised. The _king_ knew of what had happened? _King Arthur himself?_

Well, with so many questions running wild through Garrett's mind, one could hardly expect him to keep silent. He took a deep breath, and asked the most important of his queries first. "Sir Lionel- is that right?"

"Yes."

"Sir Lionel…what did you mean when you said that you were going to teach me how to stand up for myself?"

Surprising Garrett once again, the taller knight merely laughed. "I meant exactly what I said. I'm going to teach you the beginners' skills of a knight, so that you can defend yourself when people try to take advantage of your disability, which they will. It's one hardship no one can keep from you." Garrett nodded, thinking. What knight ever volunteered to educate the peasants' children? Was this Sir Lionel crazy, or taking drugs? It wouldn't be surprising….Sir Lucen wasn't the only one of his sort.

"So does this mean…I might be a knight someday? Even if I'm…"

"Blind? Yes, it's quite possible, though your ability to become a knight, like anyone else's, depends on how well you learn the lessons. You can work around your lack of sight, but only if you have the discipline."

_Only if I have the discipline…and if I do? Could I become the first blind knight of the round table? If I could fight for Camelot as well as anyone else?_

"Take this." Garrett felt the touch of wood against his fingers, and twisted them to grasp the staff which Sir Lionel now handed him. It was not capped with metal at both ends, but that made it lighter, easier to handle.

"Your first lesson begins now."


	3. That Friend Of Yours

**I Stand Alone**

_**Chapter Three: That Friend Of Yours…**_

_"Hold it more loosely- if you're too tense, you won't have the necessary flexibility. Yes, that's much better. Now take your stance, and listen for my swing."_

_Garrett paused, his staff in a ready position. His ears sifted through the sounds of the bustling city, waiting for the scratch of Sir Lionel's boots on the cobblestones. At the noise, Garrett spun on his toe and threw up a high left-side block. His staff met Sir Lionel's with a resounding _crack_, then rebounded as he reversed its direction, changing his high block to a low one. Lionel attacked again, aiming lower, but not quite as low as Garrett's block. Taken by surprise, the young stableboy earned a hard rap on his ribcage. "Don't go so fat- listen, and be sure of your opponent's maneuver before you block." Garrett nodded, returning to normal stance, and wiped his sweaty face on his sleeve._

"We've had an inside attack! Someone find Merlin!"

Tall men in uniform raced about the city of Camelot, crying the vague news. Worried for the king, Garrett stopped his tack-cleaning, and flagged down a passing knight. "What happened?" he demanded.

"We were attacked- Ruber, that traitor. There was a casualty; that's why we need Merlin, quickly." He seemed eager to quit chatting and find the wizard, but Garrett caught his arm. The man flinched- Garrett would have guessed that he had noticed his milky, blind eyes. He did not release him. "Is King Arthur hurt?" he asked fiercely. Sir Lionel's tales and talk had lately strengthened Garrett's resolve to do anything for his sovereign.

"No, lad," was the reply. "It is not he who needs Merlin's aid." His thoughts elsewhere, Garrett did not hold the knight back as he ran to join his comrades. He simply slipped back into the stable, fear and dread creeping icily into his heart.

_"I work, and work, and work, but I feel like I get no better. Is that how it always is, Sir Lionel?"_

_"Sometimes. But not everyone can properly evaluate themselves. Whether or not you can feel it, you _are_ improving, Garrett."_

_His breath caught in his throat. He was doing well!_

"_Do you think I have a chance of becoming a knight?" he asked, the all-too-familiar words rolling easily off his tongue. The response- same as always._

_"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Garrett. _Everyone_ has the chance of becoming a knight."_

_"That's not-"_

_"-What you meant, I know. But you'll never be a knight unless you can search for the truth within yourself, without relying on other people for assurance. An answer such as the one you seek can only truly be found in your own heart."_

_"You're not making any sense, you know."_

_Sir Lionel's laugh was good-natured and carefree. "Doubtless you're right. All things will explain themselves in time."_

"Tha' friend o' yours- the knight. Wos 'is name?"

Garrett threw his student page's tack onto his rack in the supply room rather more roughly than he normally would. He wished the irritating little prat would attend his lessons and _leave him alone._

"Sir Lionel." The reply was short and bitter. Unfortunately, this youngster wouldn't take the hint. He was too entranced by the blind stableboy to pay any attention to the subject at hand. Garrett could hear the boy's feet shuffling around as he moved to always have a view of Garrett's face, and his blank eyes. Two or three minutes of this was all Garrett could handle.

"Would you _please_ stop doing that?" he growled, picking up his pitchfork from it's place in the corner. He strode over to the loft ladder, and began to climb up.

"Say, 'ow'd you know wot I was doin'?" the page asked, incredulous. "I can hear it," Garrett called irritably from the loft. "Don't you have lessons with the others? I'd better hear you running off to go learn them, boy." Since his sight was lost, Garrett had been forced to assume more authority. Otherwise, nothing ever got done, and he was treated like a poor circus freak who deserved only pity. Apparently, his new tone worked- the next thing he heard was a muffled _squeak_ and the pattering of feet as the little pageboy ran off. Satisfied, Garrett began to pitch down the straw for that evening's cleanout.

"_No- it's not true!"_

"_I wish I could tell you different, sonny, but I can't. Your friend's gone."_

"_Shut up! Don't lie to me!"_

"_You have to-"_

"_I said shut up! Now get out of here!"_

"_Easy, lad. Put that pigsticker down, and let's just-"_

"_GET OUT!"_

_As soon as the man was out of sight, Garrett slumped against the wall, tears sliding unfettered down his face. The nearby horses whickered at him. Obviously his tone of voice has bothered them. _Well, what do I care,_ thought the tortured boy, his anguish temporarily destroying his sense of logic. _They're just dumb horses. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't even BE in this mess. _That was unfair, and he knew it. But there was nothing Garrett could do to make himself feel better. All that was left was the darkness inside him._

"Lora, I'm leaving."

The little girl gasped, her flyaway orange hair contrasting the paleness of her face.

"W-why?" she asked, close to tears. "You don't have to leave, Garrett, please!"

"Yes I do," he shot back angrily. "There's nothing I can do anymore! I can't become a knight, so what's the point of even _living_ here, having to sense all those blue and silver uniforms everywhere, taunting me- I can't do it, Lora. I have to get away."

"Then take me with you!" she begged, her tone sharp even in its pleading.

"No!"

"Please, Garrett- you can't go out there alone!"

"I can, and I am. Now get out of my way."

"I won't!"

"Lora, _move!"_

"_No!"_

Anger overtook him. A moment later, Lora lay on her side on the ground, her cheek red from where Garrett had hit her. He stared down at his hand, unseeing, but sensing the pink sting across his palm. He took one faltering step back, then another.

"Don't you see, Lora?" he asked softly. "That's why I have to go."

She just looked at him with her large blue eyes filled with tears. The fire in her personality was gone; she looked so helpless. He couldn't see it, but Garrett could hear it in every half-breath she took, trying to fight the inevitable crying.

_You can't pull me in that way,_ Garrett defied her in his mind. He turned around and strode out the door, past Lora's two brothers, headed for the city gates. If he went quickly, the bridge would still be down.

When he reached the road, Garrett turned as if he would look back at the grand and glorious city that he had, until now, called home. _I'm never coming back,_ he swore.

_Never._


	4. Why Won't You Look At Me?

**I Stand Alone**

_**Chapter Four: Why Won't You Look At Me?**_

A medium-pitched yell. A splash._What the hell?_ thought Garrett as he made his way towards the sounds. He saw nothing in the darkness of the forest, but it wasn't like he needed to. After seven years of living in the Forbidden Forest, it was easy enough to navigate without needing to focus. The feel of cool water reached his feet as he stepped into the small pond.

Next he heard a gasp, and felt the ground underneath him ripple. The moving ropes on the pond floor shifted, and Garrett momentarily lost his balance. He pitched forward, but used his staff to firmly catch himself.

"Hey," he called sternly, taking a step forward. He drew his staff up into both hands, tapping the higher end into his broad palm a few times. "That's _my_ net." Only the sound of half-drowned breaths met his ears, until they were interrupted by intense growling, which came from a above. _The sunken ledge. That explains a lot._ Two heavy splashes, and one smaller one. Two giant creatures, advancing on him, by the sound of it….Garrett braced himself.

The closest one threw something that whistled through the air like a blade. At Ayden's signal, Garrett leaned back and to the right, the bladed object missing him entirely. Some of the odd sounds it made, though…was it just a knife, or something stranger?

No time to ponder it- Ayden was in flight, Garrett could hear his wings. One signal….two. The man threw himself forward, smashing upward with his staff and hitting one creature on his right, then reversing the motion, and hitting one on his left. Both fell. He turned around, listening for more adversaries. The second creature (and the smaller, from the sound of it) rose out of the water behind him, only to be met most painfully twice more by Garrett's staff. In fact, considering his position, Garrett even managed to get the living stump at the pond's edge to help him out a bit by devouring the creature. _One down…one to go._

The larger monster advanced on him, growling menacingly. _Now, Ayden? No. Now? Come on, Ayden…come on…come on!_ Finally, Ayden's signal came. But- not where the creature was, but off to Garrett's right somewhere! _Ayden, what are you doing?!_ Despite his lack of understanding, Garrett whipped his staff up and brought it crashing down on his right. He hit something long and flexible- a vine?

The next thing he knew, a tremendous force began pulling on his legs. He braced himself against it, trying depserately to decipher the bubbling sounds that filled his ears. Something whooshed past him on the left, smashing into the creature in front of him, and knocking it backwards. The force in the water intensified- then stopped, with a final gurgle. The creature appeared to be gone, from the sound. Once again, all Garrett could hear was the sound of heavy breaths from whoever had first interrupted his evening.

"Wow, that- that was incredible, how you smashed those, _creatures_, how you avoided that- that _thing!_" The voice was female, and fairly young…probably around Garertt's age. But what the crap was a young woman doing in the Forest? Especially tailed by monsters like _those?_ She continued speaking, as Garrett reached down and snagged the edge of his net, pulling it up so he could examine it. "You're amazing, you're-" She noticed what he was doing. "…not even listening to me."

He ignored her. "Great," he said to himself. "It took me six weeks to make this net-" You know girls. They always have to interrupt. "A _net?_ You _saved_ my _life_, thank you!"

His reply was scathing. "Well, anyone can make a mistake." She just laughed sardonically. "Oh, I get it," she said. "This is where King Arthur sends his _un_funny jesters, right?" That stung. He met her laugh with one of his own- equally lacking in seriousness. "And now I'll thank _you_," he said. She was confused. "For what?" she asked.

He turned to her and said sharply, "For reminding me why I'm a _hermit!_ Good day." He strode off into the Forest, and the new girl followed him relentlessly. "Now wait a minute!" she called. "What's your name?" He sighed, and answered, "It's Garrett." He climbed up the hill out of the pond valley, Ayden flying behind him. "I'm Kayley," came the perky voice from behind him. Her footsteps grew quicker; she was running to catch up. "Garrett," she asked. "Why won't you look at me when I'm talking to you?" Kayley put a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to face her. She caught sight of his bleak, sightless eyes.

"Oh," she said softly. "Oh, I didn't realize you were-" He cut her off. "What? Tall? Rugged? Handsome?" He knew precisely what she meant. Garrett just barely heard her whisper, "….blind."

Garrett turned to face her, laughter written across his face. "You know," he said, "I _always_ forget that one." He kept walking.

A moment later, Garrett felt Ayden flutter up beside him, cawing enthusiastically, trying to get his attention. "Not now, Ayden," he said, brushing the bird off. "Hey look!" Kayley exclaimed. "You're falcon has silver wings!" Oh really? That was new. He'd never really know what Ayden looked like, and only just barely knew what kind of bird he was. "Really? I'll have to take your word for that," he told Kayley. She gasped. "Oh, no, I'm sorry, but- you see, it means that he knows where Excalibur is!"

Good God, didn't this brainless girl know _anything?_ "Sure he does," he replied sarcastically. "In Camelot. You know, big castle? Lots of flags?" He turned to keep going, but Kayley's next words stopped him. "No!" she cried. "It's somewhere in the Forest! Ruber has stolen it, and he's taken my mother hostage." He kept walking. "That's why I'm here!" she yelled after him. "I must find the sword and take it back to Arthur, or Camelot and my mother are doomed." _Well if she's here to find the sword, she's not doing a very good job thusfar,_ Garrett thought to himself.

Ayden interrupted his thoughts with a series of caws. "Hmm?" Garrett asked him, alert. "Excalibur _is_ here?" He paused, then made a decision. "Right. We're going after it." With Ayden perched on his arm, he walked ahead, ready for anything.

"Great!" said Kayley, following. Garrett laughed, and turned to her. "Not you," he said, as if stating the obvious. Which, of course, he was. "Me and Ayden. We work alone." He pointed at her with his staff, to make his point. She simply shoved it aside. That movement, everything about how it felt- the determination, the attitude….every bit of it (and her, for that matter) reminded him of Lora. Even that note in her voice…

"_Well I see no reason why I can't come along."_


	5. Is Something Wrong?

**I Stand Alone**

_**Chapter Five: Is Something Wrong?  
**_

Whatever worries Kayley might have had upon the moving in of her new husband into the home of her mother, she needn't have had them. Lady Juliana was most accomodating, and seemed genuinely ecstatic to have Garrett live with them until he and Kayley's rooms at the palace were completely furnished.

"Mother!" Kayley squealed as she bounced through the door, Garrett behind her. "I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks!" Lady Juliana laughed and gave her daughter a hug. "Dearest, it's only been three days! You do remember I was at the wedding?" She kissed Kayley's head. "I've missed you too, sweet. Now, stand back and let me look at you!" Kayley obeyed, backing up with a smile and sneaking her hand into Garrett's. Her mother smiled her sweet smile. "You look wonderful, Kayley- and you too, Garrett! You are always welcome in my house." She motioned with one hand for one of the servants to take the bags on the cart outside upstairs to Kayley's room. As he did so, Juliana took her daughter's hand and gently dragged the newlyweds to the table. The three of them took seats as the cook set out a bottle of wine and three glasses.

Garrett shifted nervously in his seat as he heard the clinking of the bottle and glasses. He didn't drink, not even in a reserved manner like most people, and that was something he had failed to tell his new wife or her mother. As Kayley and Juliana chatted eagerly about the most recent events of their lives, Garrett attempted to find a polite way to decline the drink. So busy was he in his thoughts that he didn't even hear Kayley when she first voiced concern.

"Garrett, aren't you going to have a drink?" she asked. "I know you can hear it." She sounded so…proud, to be confident in her knowledge of him. Garrett simply shook his head and faced the floor. "I don't drink alcohol, Kayley. You go ahead." He could just imagine her confused expression when she asked, "Why not?"

"It's…something I'd rather not talk about, if you don't mind. We'll discuss it later." His voice sounded sharper than he had meant it to. He could feel Juliana shift to put a hand on Kayley's arm before she could insist. "That's perfectly alright, Garrett. Kayley's father never drank unless it was necessary, so we understand." Garrett smiled. "Thank you so much, Lady Juliana. I-"

They were interrupted by a knock at the front hall door. It opened without delay, and they heard a voice call out, "Lady Juliana?" The voice was young, feminine, but rather like Kayley's: perky, impertinent, strong. The only thing it lacked was any kind of sweetness whatsoever. Lady Juliana got up quickly. "Oh, I'd forgotten! Lady Helsyn said she was sending a girl. I've been doing some embroidery for her," she explained to Garrett and Kayley. "I'll just be a moment." She hurried up the stairs to find the embroidery. Garrett felt Kayley get up as well, presumably to talk to the newcomer. As he didn't really like to socialize, Garrett remained seated.

Kayley drifted to the inner doorway, where she found a young woman about her age, perhaps a big younger, with flyaway orange hair that she had tied back in a haphazard horsetail. Her clothes were of a lesser quality- she was a peasant, a servant girl, then, not a noblewoman like Kayley. However, Kayley wasn't one to care. She knew Lady Helsyn's household nearly as well as she did her own, and this girl was not someone she recognized.

"You must be new at Fief Whitemeadow," she said with a smile and a curtsy. "Lady Kayley of Camlann. What's your name?" The girl curtsied as well. "Lora Fletcher, of Camelot, my lady," she introduced herself.

When Garrett heard this from the other room, he stood up immediately, causing the chair he had been sitting in to crash backward and attract the ladies' attention. "Are you alright, Garrett?" Kayley called. Looking past her, Lora gasped.

It all happened so slowly, as if those few minutes had become hours. Lora stared at Garrett. Garrett kept his face turned away. Kayley first watched Garrett, then turned to Lora, then back to her husband. Eventually she placed her hands on her hips. "Now look here, someone tell me what all this is about before I die of curiosity," she stated firmly, her words clearly meant for her husband. Garrett didn't address her- _his_ words were for Lora.

"I didn't know you'd left Camelot, Lora," he said quietly. She didn't answer at first, which gave Kayley an opportunity to clear her throat rather pointedly, still waiting for an explanation. "Stop it, Kayley," Garrett snapped, and immediately regretted it. He came forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I didn't mean that. Just…" _Give me a moment to catch my breath before you sweep me off my feet again._ "Lora and I are- well, we were friends before I left Camelot." He turned to Lora. "Lora, this- oh, right, you've met. Kayley…Kayley is my wife." That sentence was a lot harder to say than he had imagined it. In fact, speaking at all was much more difficult with Lora than it had been with Lady Juliana.

Silence.

"Here you are, dear, I've found it," Lady Juliana said as she entered, unaware of the scene that had unfolded while she was upstairs. She handed Lora the embroidery, then noticed that both Kayley and Garrett were on their feet. She gave her daughter a quizzical look, to which Kayley gave her a small shake of the head. Getting the message, Lady Juliana diplomatically showed Lora to the outer door, telling her to give her regards to Lady Helsyn. Kayley and Garrett returned quietly to their seats. Neither said anything, each afraid to say what they were thinking.

_What was that? I thought…I thought I wouldn't see her yet, if ever. She wasn't supposed to show up that quickly, or unnerve me that much. How in the world did she manage to make that happen…whatever 'that' was? I haven't seen her in ages…_

_Who was she, really? He had friends, just as I've got friends…but really? They should have at least been happy to see each other, but he was just so cold…was she looking strangely at him? Or me, for that matter? I wasn't watching closely…_

"You're both so quiet," Lady Juliana commented softly when she returned. "Is something wrong?"

"No," they answered simultaneously. Kayley glanced at Garrett, a smile ready on her lips, but his expression caused her slight happiness to fade. "Mother, it's getting late," Kayley said softly, pointing to the glowing sunset outside. "I think we should go upstairs. We'll see you in the morning." Juliana nodded, still obviously concerned, but she kissed her daughter's cheek anyway, and rested a hand on Garrett's shoulders. "Good night then, you two," she said, and sent the newlyweds upstairs for a very silent night.


End file.
